pullbiceps

Dumbbell Preacher Curl

A curl performed with the upper arm braced against an angled bench, removing body english to isolate the biceps.

How to do it

1Sit at an incline bench set to roughly a 45-60 degree angle and rest the back of your upper arm against the pad, wedging it into your armpit with a dumbbell in an underhand grip.
2Start with your arm extended but not fully locked out, then curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder.
3Squeeze at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbell back down slowly until your arm is nearly straight.

Common mistakes

Letting the upper arm lift off the pad partway through the rep to help move the weight.
Dropping the weight quickly on the way down instead of controlling the stretched bottom position, which is the most strain-prone part of the lift.

Sets & reps by goal

Goal	Sets	Reps	Rest
Strength	2-3	8-12	60-90 sec
Build muscle	2-3	10-15	45-60 sec
General fitness	2-3	12-15	45-60 sec

Ranges reflect the same goal-based logic used by the workout plan tool. Actual set count in a generated plan also depends on how often this muscle group appears elsewhere in your week.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dumbbell Preacher Curl safe for beginners?

The Dumbbell Preacher Curl is tagged intermediate, meaning it generally works best once you already have some pull training experience. If you're new to training, building a base with the Dumbbell Bicep Curl first is a reasonable place to start.

See the Dumbbell Bicep Curl

What muscles does the Dumbbell Preacher Curl work?

The primary mover is your biceps. As a pull movement, it also involves your forearms and shoulders.

What can I substitute if I don't have dumbbells or bench for the Dumbbell Preacher Curl?

The Barbell Bicep Curl targets the same primary muscle with different equipment, so it's a reasonable swap if you don't have dumbbells or bench available.

See the Barbell Bicep Curl

Related exercises

Learn more

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